German parties tap possibility of 'traffic light' coalition government

Germany's center-left Social Democrat Party, or SPD, on Thursday began three-way talks with the environmentalist Greens and pro-business Free Democrat Party, or FDP, to explore the possibility of a "traffic light" coalition government.

Up to now there have only been two-way talks between parties since the SPD won last month's national election, and this is the first time the respective third- and fourth-place finishers will together measure the likelihood of an alliance.

Members of all three parties have gathered in Berlin for the exploratory talks that are expected to last around a week, the Reuters news agency reported, citing sources with knowledge of the negotiations.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling conservative alliance of the Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, and Christian Social Union, or CSU, finished second in the Sept 26 election, suffering its worst-ever defeat.

The three-way talks move the SPD's leader Olaf Scholz closer to becoming Germany's next chancellor, set to replace the outgoing Merkel, who has been the nation's leader for 16 years and will step down once a new government is formed.

The CDU's conservative chancellor candidate, Armin Laschet, had also proposed forming a government with the FDP and the Greens, but the two smaller parties have now taken a clear step toward the rival SPD, said broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

The CSU leader Markus Soder told agency reporters on Wednesday that talks between the Greens, FDP and SPD amounted to a "defacto rejection" of a conservative-led government.

Soder said: "The FDP and Greens have decided on this path ... They must now pursue it with due rigor."

Deutsche Welle noted that the SPD and the Greens overlap politically on social policy and the environment, while the SPD may find agreement with the FDP on economic policy more challenging.

Green co-leader Robert Habeck told reporters on Wednesday that serious negotiation with the SPD "makes the most sense."

He said: "Last week's talks showed this is where the greatest overlaps are conceivable, especially in the broad area of social policy."

The goal with talks is to take the election results and "translate them into political results," rather than continuing to play a political "poker game," Habeck added.

Both parties emphasized that the door was still open for a coalition with the conservatives. "For the FDP, it's clear that the content overlaps with the (CDU/CSU) union are the largest," FDP party leader Christian Lindner told public broadcaster ARD. A coalition under the conservatives "is still a viable option for us," he said.

The Politico news site noted a Forsa poll this week found 53 percent of German voters preferred a traffic light coalition. It said just 22 percent want a government led by the CDU/CSU, Greens and FDP, which is often referred to as a "Jamaica" coalition as the parties' colors match those of the Jamaican flag.